Egyptian president says new powers only temporary

Updated
November 26, 2012 08:15:00

Egyptian protesters and police have clashed for the third straight day since Egypt's president Mohamed Morsi gave himself sweeping new powers. Among other things the president's decisions will now be immune from any judicial review. Hours ago the president's office released a statement saying the new powers were only temporary and that Mr Morsi was willing to engage all political forces to reach common ground.

TONY EASTLEY: Egyptian protesters and police have clashed for the third straight day since Egypt's president Mohamed Morsi gave himself sweeping new powers.

Among other things the president's decisions will now be immune from any judicial review.

Hours ago the president's office released a statement saying the new powers were only temporary and that Mr Morsi was willing to engage all political forces to reach common ground.

Norman Hermant reports.

(Sound of siren)

NORMAN HERMANT: For the third day running, tear gas hung over Cairo's Tahrir Square as protesters clashed with police. They have heard president Mohamed Morsi's justification for the sweeping new powers he decreed himself last week. They don't accept it.

Mohamed Abdul Wahab was amongst the demonstrators in Cairo.

(Sound of Mohamed Abdul Wahab speaking)

"It gives president Morsi the powers of a new pharaoh in Egypt," he says. "Actually, there was never a pharaoh like this before."

The president has told his supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood that the new powers are necessary to protect the drafting process for a new constitution.

There are fears it could be scuttled by the courts, which many Islamists see as overly sympathetic to the prior Mubarak regime.

As evidence they point to a court ruling that dissolved the Islamist-dominated parliament in June.

But hundreds of judges are already saying they'll strike unless the president rescinds the immunity he's granted himself from judicial review.

Khalid Mahgoub is the chief judge of a regional appeals court.

(Sound of Khalid Mahgoub speaking)

"We insist that this declaration is withdrawn," he says. "We insist on appealing the decision, to cancel it, so we can return to a state of law. We will not allow anyone to play with state institutions."

Both supporters of the president and the liberal opposition have planned competing mass rallies for Tuesday.

Prominent opposition politicians like Mohamed ElBaradei say as long as Mr Morsi holds on to near-absolute power there can be no talks aimed at a resolution.

MOHAMED ELBARADEI: We are not going to get into a dialogue unless he rescinds that declaration. There is no middle ground about it you know, there is no room for compromise.